Goals. Dreams. Desires. We all have them! As Christian women, one desire that we have in common is to have Christ-centered homes. We want to have strong marriages that focus on serving the Lord together. We want our children to walk in the truth (3 John 4). We want to be a family that shines for the Lord.

In Baylus B. McKinney’s song “God Give Us Christian Homes,” we sing to God (and to each other) of our great desire and need for Christ-centered homes. Homes that love the Bible and strive to live above the world; homes where fathers and mothers thrive in their God-given roles; homes where children are brought up knowing the Lord; joyous homes.

My question for you is: Are you putting diligence into creating this type of home – the home you desire? It will take daily effort on your part to make this dream come true.

In this short lesson, I want to offer 20 practical things you can do today that may bring your desire one step closer to reality.

 VERSE 1:

God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,

Homes where the Master’s will is sought,

Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

1.  How many Bibles are in your house?  Are they out where they will be read?  Today place a Bible on top of that stack of magazines. Next time you reach for something to read… you know what to do!

2. Subscribe to a periodical or two.  These are usually filled with short articles that will increase your Bible knowledge and encourage righteous living.

3. As a family, save some money to give to a worthy cause.  Here’s an idea:  put a jar in the kitchen with “Christian Courier” (or some other good work) taped on it and everyone add to it for a month.  Don’t forget to give it!

4. Use your home for others.  Invite your elders and their families over for a meal, thanking them for caring for your souls.  Do this for your deacons, preachers, and teachers too, thanking them for their work.

5. Borrow or purchase a DVD set from a Gospel Meeting or a Lectureship.  Watch them as a family instead of TV for a week. You may want to invite a neighbor or some members of your congregation to join you.

 VERSE 2:

God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the father is true and strong,

Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,

Homes that are joyous with love and song;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

6. Tell and show your husband how important he is to your family.  You may want to make his favorite meal one day this week, celebrating him.  Get the kids involved – they can make decorations showing how loved he is.  Keep it a secret!

7. Starting today, set a new rule in your family: always speak to each other in a courteous manner. We should not be rude, especially to our loved ones!

8. Are you joyful?  Sing praises! (James 5:13)

9. Show love to others.  As a family, check in on church members who have been away. A note or a phone call can mean so much!

10. Put filters on all your computers.  Monitor very closely all the media that comes into your home. You should also be transparent with your computer/phone use. If you don’t want someone in your family to know what you’ve been reading or looking at, that’s a problem. Accountability! We’re all on the same team, so ask for help if you need to.

 VERSE 3:

God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the mother, in queenly quest,

Strives to show others Thy way is best,

Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

11. Today, devote an hour to that task that you’ve been putting off. Let us not be lazy. As we tell our children, “Sometimes you just have to do things that aren’t fun.” A friend of mine once told me that she asks herself these two questions when she starts to walk away from a task: “If not me, who? If not now, when?” This helps. Try it!

12. Make a prayer board for your family.  Write down the names of people or events you want to pray for.  Keep it in a place where you and your family will see it and use it. You may want to pin your church bulletin there each week to remember the needs of your church family!

13. Memorize Scripture together as a family.  Choose one of the sermons you hear on Sunday and memorize the main verse(s) together that week.  You’ll be amazed how much you will remember those sermons! Tell your preacher that you’re doing this, and you will encourage him greatly.

14. Do your work without grumbling.  If your husband leaves his socks right where he takes them off each day, so what!  Just pick them up for him.  If one of your children accidentally colors outside the lines right on to the dining table, show him how to clean it up instead of pitching a fit. Little things like this are not worth upsetting the whole family!

15. Today, read the account of Jesus and Zacchaeus to your children (see Luke 19). Talk about how wonderful it would be for Jesus to come to your house! Would you be okay with that?

VERSE 4:

God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the children are led to know

Christ in His beauty who loves them so,

Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

16. Remind your children right now that God loves them so much that He gave His only Son to die for them! (John 3:16)

17. Today, call your children’s coaches and teachers and tell them that from now on they will NOT be able to participate in any event that pulls them from a church service. These are hard calls to make, but please consider making them. Do you really expect your kids to grow up putting God first if they never have to as children? Do you really expect your children to do hard things when they are grown ups if they never see their parents do hard things? Priorities!

18. Today, go for a walk with your kids, or just sit outside with them. Talk and learn about God’s creation. Build great memories!

19. Help your kids make friends of God’s children. 1 Corinthians 15:33 still says, “Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals.” Your children don’t know it yet, but they are depending on you to help them in this very important area.

20. Ask your husband to lead a family discussion about priorities.  If you need to, confess that you have been wrong in the past (see #17), and make it right. As a family, make the resolution that you will no longer let football games, birthday parties, or other events take precedence over serving God. When relatives come to visit, invite them to worship with you – don’t stay home to entertain them. Your children are only young for a little while, and you are responsible for their very souls. Please don’t let them down!

God Give Us Christian Homes! Here’s that question again: Are you putting diligence into creating this type of home – the home you desire? You CAN have your desire for a Christ-centered home be a reality. A Christian home doesn’t just happen by accident – it takes prayer, help from God, and your own hard work. Start today!

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24

What would you add to this list?

—————————————–

By Jennifer Jensen

Jennifer Jensen lives in beautiful Colorado where she makes a happy home for her husband and two teenaged daughters. She loves to encourage the church with kind words, hugs, and loving notes. One of her favorite verses is I Thessalonians 5:14 – “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”